And, of course, content.

Amazon made its ambitions crystal clear at a star-studded event at Manhattan’s Beacon Theatre on Monday night: the company has its hands in just about everything — and it wants you to know it.

The evening featured performances by DJ Diplo and Kacey Musgraves, with celebrity appearances from Oprah Winfrey, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris Pratt, and Michael B. Jordan to help Prime Video show off what’s coming.

Sports looms large. Rapper Shaboozey appeared to tout Prime Sports, anchored by Prime Video’s fifth consecutive season of exclusive “Thursday Night Football.” The 2026 TNF opener puts the Lions against the Bills in the first regular-season game at Highmark Stadium. Hosts Charissa Thompson, Andrew Whitworth, and Ryan Fitzpatrick were joined by NFL MVP Matthew Stafford to preview the broader sports lineup.

On the scripted side, Brett Goldstein — best known for “Ted Lasso” and “Shrinking” — is writing, starring in and co-showrunning “Escorted,” a comedy about a divorced Manhattan father who accidentally falls into work as a male escort. Goldstein joked that bringing “a wholesome show about condoms, co-parenting and cosplay to Amazon” felt like a full-circle moment, given his shopping habits.

Two novel adaptations are also headed to series: “Rose Hill,” drawn from Elsie Silver’s romance novels, and “Fourth Wing,” a romantasy based on Rebecca Yarros’ bestseller.

The action comedy “Ride or Die,” pairing Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham as co-stars and executive producers, finally has a premiere date: July 15. Chris Pratt announced that “The Terminal List” season two will drop all eight episodes on October 21. And “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” returns for its third season on November 11. Peter Friedlander, head of global television for Amazon MGM Studios, said fan enthusiasm has only built heading into the new season.

Schwarzenegger promoted his upcoming holiday family comedy “The Man With the Bag,” while Michael B. Jordan unveiled three projects: “The Greatest,” a Muhammad Ali drama series starring Jaalen Best; “Fourth Wing”; and “Delphi,” a spinoff of the “Creed” franchise.

What do you think is the most significant trend this Upfront season?
While securing premium content remains vital to the Upfront, there is a clear shift from reach to audiences and increasingly toward outcomes, with measurement becoming a core input into how advertisers plan, justify and optimize their investments.

Which offering — ad solution or programming — are you most excited about presenting this year?
What sets Amazon Ads apart is how we bring together premium content, deterministic audience signals, performance media and full-funnel measurement to connect sponsorships and brand moments directly to business outcomes.

How are data and AI changing the way you approach Upfront commitments?
We combine deterministic signals, AI-powered ad tech and Amazon DSP to optimize campaigns across planning, activation, and measurement and drive more flexible, performance-driven outcomes. Our authenticated graph allows us to deterministically reach 90% of U.S. households. We’re not guessing – we’re knowing.

How have your Upfront priorities shifted compared to last year?
This year we’re focused on fortifying the offering — expanding inventory, deepening partnerships and building a scaled, year-round live sports portfolio. Particularly with live sports, this is the first Upfront where we’ve had consistent tentpole moments across the year, creating real momentum and urgency heading into this buying cycle.

Where are you finding the most value — premium live content, sports, or digital extensions?
Campaigns that combine premium live sports, sponsorships, and remarketing across channels drive stronger engagement, higher attention and increased likelihood to convert. We’re closing that gap, giving advertisers a clearer view into how these campaign elements work together to drive results.

How are you approaching guarantees and makegoods in an uncertain market?
Even with strong demand and scarcity around the Upfront, advertisers are increasingly focused on outcomes — whether campaigns drive consideration, purchase or long-term value — and using those signals to guide investment decisions. Our response to this customer need is presenting an offering that combines premium content and live sports with deterministic signals, AI-powered ad tech, and Amazon DSP to deliver more flexible, performance-driven campaigns across the full funnel, year-round.

What will define a “successful” Upfront season in 2026?
Success will be defined by the ability to turn our customers’ investments into a full-funnel, performance-driven campaigns that connects premium content to measurable business outcomes. This Upfront is not just about scale—it’s about showing how those investments drive real outcomes through a more measurable, flexible, and performance-driven approach to live sports advertising.

And we’re back to sports. Tom Brady, former NFL superstar and lead NFL analyst for Fox Sports, overcame a glitchy microphone to quip, “As you guys may have heard, I had a little success in my old job. I won’t bore you with those details, but let’s just say it worked out.” Brady then introduced Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch, who delivered a pointed message: “We don’t try to do everything, and we don’t pursue scale just for scale’s sake,” he told the advertising crowd. “Instead, we focus where it matters most: live sports, live news, bold entertainment and ad supported streaming.”

Speaking of, Tubi CEO Anjali Sud highlighted the platform’s 100 million monthly active users and 10 billion hours of annual viewing, positioning it as one of the top ad-supported destinations in the country — ahead of Netflix and Peacock, and outpacing broadcast and cable networks in minutes watched. Sud also spotlighted Tubi’s growing originals slate, pointing to a World Cup-themed series hosted by New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston and former NFL star Rob Gronkowski.

The cast of Fox’s upcoming “Baywatch” revival introduced a trailer for their show, followed by “Animal Control” star Joel McHale (“Can you imagine the budget for waxing and hair removal?” joked McHale of the “Baywatch” crew) and Jon Hamm (“Grimsburg”).

Fox Sports commentator Michael Strahan focused the “other” football — the World Cup. “Trust me when I say this tournament will be what everybody’s talking about all summer long, and that includes me,” said Strahan. Then he broke the big news that Fox Sports has enlisted James Corden (“The Late Late Show”) to host an after-show during the tournament, alongside former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand and comedian Ian Karmel, starting June 11.

Corden joined Strahan onstage to explain, “What we’re going to try and do is make it feel like if you couldn’t meet up with your friends in a bar that night, we’ll be there to have some fun.” Why Fox? asked Strahan. “Because they have the rights to the games,” said Corden. “I can’t stress this enough. If they didn’t have the rights to the games, I do this show on the network that did.”

Brady wrapped up with a Fox pitch. “I spent my career surrounded by the most passionate fans on Earth,” he said. “I never realized that passion could live outside of sports, but it does here at Fox and we’re relentlessly focused on delivery, not just for our fans, but also for our advertisers, every single day.”

Sports anchored TelevisaUnivision’s upfront presentation at Terminal 5, with the company unveiling a raft of new deals. The biggest: a partnership with ESPN that makes it the Spanish-language broadcast home of Super Bowl LXI. New agreements with CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, and the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol add North, Central, and South American soccer to the mix, including the Mexican National Team, while European soccer finds its home on ViX.

Formula 1 is also returning to the network. Through a new partnership with Apple, TelevisaUnivision will air the 2026 Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 21, complete with dedicated pre- and post-race programming. The deal spans the full season, with Univision and TUDN amplifying Apple TV’s F1 coverage through highlights across the network’s multiplatform ecosystem. “Our commitment to serving U.S. Hispanic sports fans is unmatched,” said Olek Loewenstein, President of Global Sports. “Live sports continue to play a pivotal role in our content strategy.”

But sports is only part of the story. Under the banner “We Get Hispanics,” TelevisaUnivision also rolled out a new programming slate and expanded cross-platform capabilities. Ten new novellas are coming, alongside returning franchises like “¿Quién es la Máscara?” and “Juego de Voces,” and a new interview series hosted by the legendary Don Francisco.

Music remains central to the brand. A new series spotlights major Latin artists and top content creators, and “Premios Juventud” is getting a major upgrade — expanding into a week-long, multi-city event spanning Houston, Miami, and Los Angeles before culminating in its 23rd edition, broadcast live from Marbella, Spain. A partnership with Marc Anthony goes further still, encompassing new music IP, original long-form video, and lifestyle ventures across music, hospitality, and fashion.

On the advertising side, TelevisaUnivision introduced its Household Graph, an identity solution mapping Spanish-speaking and bilingual households, and announced a partnership with Genius Sports to deepen Liga MX coverage through advanced data and storytelling. “In today’s fragmented world, what works is authenticity, cultural relevance, and showing up in the places that truly get your audience,” said John Kozack, President of U.S. Advertising Sales and Marketing — describing Hispanic consumers as “an undeniable force in mainstream culture.”

As chairman of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, Luis Fernández is leading the network’s push to dominate live, culturally relevant content for U.S. Hispanic audiences. Heading into the 2026 Upfront, his strategy centers on powerhouse franchises, the FIFA World Cup and a fully integrated multiplatform approach designed to turn audience engagement into measurable business impact.

Which offering are you most excited about presenting this year?
We’re excited about the quality, creativity and relevance of our programming slate, particularly our live content designed to give our audience what they want in the moment, right as it’s happening. We are not just delivering content—we’re building lifelong Latino fandoms and connections through iconic “must-see” storytelling, unforgettable characters, and truly memorable moments.

Telemundo’s unique proposition is to develop and produce franchise ecosystems that build fandom across every platform – linear, streaming, digital and social – with stories created by Latinos, for Latinos. This authenticity and relevance drive deep engagement and lasting audience loyalty.

In 2026, that momentum continues with the return of two powerhouse franchises. “El Señor de los Cielos” reaches its landmark 10th season – an Emmy Award-winning franchise and a true decade of dominance – raising the bar with cinematic scale and high-octane storytelling led by Rafael Amaya. And “Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso” returns with a bold, modern reinvention, bringing back fan-favorite talent in a fresh, high-stakes chapter.

Together, these franchises showcase the scale, passion and cultural impact that only Telemundo can deliver.

Sports remain one of our most powerful platforms for connection and engagement, anchored by Telemundo as the exclusive Spanish-language home of the FIFA World Cup 2026™. This will be the largest tournament in history – and once it concludes, Telemundo will continue to deliver world-class sports as the exclusive Spanish-language home of major properties including Premier League, Liga MX, NBA, NFL and MLB, among others.

And just as important is news. In a moment where trust, clarity and objectivity matter more than ever, our commitment is simple: “las cosas como son” – to tell it like it is. This principle guides our News team every day, ensuring our audience stays informed, empowered, and connected to what matters most in their lives and communities.

Where are you finding the most value – premium live content, sports, or digital extensions?
All of the above – value is no longer in one genre or platform, it’s in how we seamlessly connect them.

Telemundo is the home of live TV, with more than 70% of our programming happening in real time – from news and daytime to specials and, of course, major sports events like the FIFA World Cup™.

What makes that even more powerful is how we extend those moments across every platform. By connecting live, streaming and data, we’re able to show up in the moments that matter and scale them across the entire ecosystem in a way that drives deeper reach and engagement for both audiences and advertisers.

What will define a “successful” Upfront season for Telemundo in 2026?
Success for us is about turning audiences and relevance into real business impact, for us, but most importantly for our clients.

It’s not just about scale – it’s about relevance. And it’s about extending that connection across every screen – linear, streaming and digital – powered by the precision of NBCUniversal’s One Platform.

Our success will be defined by how we bring together relevance, multiplatform scale and measurable outcomes for our partners, and we’re right on track.